Rivals - Episode Four
At the evening of the last elimination, Skylar and Kristopher are sitting alone next to the dim fire pit, both looking saddened about the fact that they sent one of their trustworthy teammates home. “We lost a good teammate today. I wish we had come up with some sort of plan to get Howard out of the competition instead since I feel like she would have been more useful in challenges than Howard, not to mention the fact he is so knowledgeable and could easily screw up all our chances at the gold!” She explains to Kris, who precisely listens to her every word “Well we can always sabotage his chances you know. I always have a couple of tricks up my sleeve.” He replies to try and impress her. She remains silent for a couple of seconds and looks at him blankly, “You where a short sleeved t-shirt, I think any tricks would be obvious in that analogy…” She replies and they both laugh together, and Skylar places her head on his shoulder, while they both gaze up at the moon and see Renae’s face reflect off of it, and smile calmly as the camera turns to black. It is early morning in camp; Kimberly is in the forest reading the clue to the idol over and over again in her mind. “_ A _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ _” She ponders for a while, until Chris sounds the annual bull horn, simplifying it’s time to wake up. She walks through the forest back to camp and sneaks in through the back door into the girls’ cabin. “Hey, where’d you end up Kim hun?” Texas asks curiously, Kimberly scratches her head nervously before replying, “I was just going for a nice morning stroll. Nothing out of the norm. Haha!” She replies CONF: “What is the clue meant to be. I don’t get it. I guess I should see if I could find some help.” She expresses and exits the confessional. Meanwhile, at the emergency tent. “Lawson, you’re gonna need to keep that cast another week until you can walk properly again. So I guess you are out of this week’s challenge too. Great.” Chris breaks the news to Lawson; he gets frustrated but keeps his cool. “Uh Chris, I didn’t even brake my leg, that freak from the orange’s just attacked me and I pulled a muscle.” He replies and Chris just reiterates the fact he isn’t able to walk properly, then Lawson wheels off back outside, waiting for Chris to instruct him further on his injury. CONF: “This really sucks; I don’t think I’ll be able to survive another elimination ceremony in this state. I somehow need to prove my worth to the team.” He explains and leaves the confessional then he strolls back in, CONF: “Also how is this Tylah chick not even punished at all for the pain she has caused me? I should hire a lawyer.” Chris sounds another bull horn, and everyone comes rushing outside, they stand in their teams. “Before we start the challenge, there is a little something you all should know. Today we are switching up the teams!” Chris explains, to everyone’s dismay. “And the point in this is?” Tylah asks. “Well, after the new teams are formed, from now on, we will be having redemption island battles, as you may have already figured out if you aren’t Kimberly.” Chris remarks sarcastically and Kimberly looks at him with a smile. “What’s that contraption behind you?” Kian asks. “The new team captains will be determined by this wheel with all your faces on, the previous captains will spin the wheel once each and the two people it lands on are the new team captains.” Chris explains, while revealing the wheel from behind him. “Good luck…I guess.” A couple of minutes later, the wheel is set up and two rows of benches are set up for people to sit on during the interlude. Tylah stands up and walks over to the wheel, and spins it. After what seems like forever the wheel finally lands on Skylar. “And the first new team captain is Skylar! Who is the next and final team captain?” He asks, and then realises that Lawson can’t grab the wheel, and Dawson stands up and does it for him. The wheel spins and spins, until finally landing on Dawson. “The irony right now.” Kian states, and Chris buts in, “And the 2nd team captain is Dawson! Pick your teams!” Chris announces, and makes Skylar and Dawson stand on their colored mats. Dawson on Orange, Skylar on Blue. Kristopher looks at Skylar with a promising smile, and tucks in his collar into his shirt. Skylar then rolls her eyes. “I pick Howard.” She states. “Texas.” Dawson states, and looks at her with a cheesy smile, “Oh brother.” Texas responds. “Kian.” Skylar states. “Tylah.” Dawson states. “Miss Universe.” Skylar states. “Chantae.” Dawson states. “Kim.” Skylar states. “Oliver.” Dawson states. “Ugh, fine, Kristopher.” Skylar states, leaving Dawson with Lawson. CONF: “Why did Skylar leave me till last? Hmm. Ah! She was saving the best for last! I getcha now.” Kristopher states and leaves the confessional. “Okay, due to having new teams you will have new team names. The previous orange team now led by Dawson is now known as Team Daybreak! And the previous blue team now led by Skylar is now known as Team Eclipse. Now time for the redemption island duel!” Chris announces. “What ever happened to breakfast?” Chantae asks. “Breakfast is the least important meal of the day, now come on; you have a whole day ahead of you.” Chris replies sarcastically. CONF: “Why is everyone so sarcastic since the start of camp?” Chantae asks, and snaps her fingers. The contestants arrive at one of the many huge grassy mountains that hang around the back of the island. Inside, an arena is set up with a field in the center and seats flowing around it, like a standard soccer pitch. Everyone thinks to themselves, “How could Chris afford this?” Everyone sits down in a respected seat in the stands, having a overview on the events happening below. Chris then announces that Renae and Ross are about to enter the arena. “Let’s give a shout out to Ross and Renae!” Chris announces in a sarcastic excited manner, they enter the arena with scowls on their faces, and Renae glares at Howard. CONF: “It should have been him not me! Whose idea was this! I do not understand!” She protests while being confused over her elimination, and then the voice of Howard is heard. “You fell asleep when we needed you to guard! How can you be not expecting your elimination?” He explains then she folds her arms in a grudge. “So, uh…anything you want to say Ross?” Chris asks curiously, then Ross shrugs and looks not bothered in the slightest. “Okay then…your redemption island challenge is Ring Toss! You have 5 rings all of different sizes, you have to toss them and try to land them all around the wooden totem pole. Once you have all the rings around it, you have to solve the anagram with the letters on each ring, and then once you recite that word to me you stay alive on redemption. Do you both understand?” He explains, and takes a breath. They both nod and Chris grabs a silver whistle from around his neck and countdowns from 3…2…1…and he blows the whistle. They both shoot off and grab their first ring with ease, and start throwing it towards their respected totem poles. Continuing to miss and miss their shots one after another. CONF: “I hope that Renae girl wins this duel, she could be easier to control once merge hits. Plus I don’t particularly like having that Ross kid around…And weird coincidence that the first two people eliminated are both beginning with R…omg that means I’m next!” Skylar states in a slight panic, then leaves the confessional on edge. Renae finally lands the first ring on her totem, she jumps up in glee then realises she has more rings that she needs to throw. CONF: “Chris, how cheap of a challenge could you get man.” Renae states unhappily. Then Chris’ head pops through the door to her left. CONF: “You try paying for 28 challenges with a 14 episode seasons budget. Now get out.” Chris replies and they leave the confessional. “Come on! I really need this!” Renae states and throws her second ring, which bounces off the totem pole. “Papa needs a new pair of jokes!” Ross states and throws his first ring, which lands directly over the head of the totem pole, and sinks to the bottom. “Yeah!” “Well now the score is 1-1, we’re currently tied.” Chris clarifies, then turns around to flip the score panel on the wooden scoreboard to his left. Renae squints her eyes at the pole and grabs the ring like a Frisbee in her left hand. She glares at the pole for a few seconds, before eventually throwing her ring, and it lands around the totem pole! Ross tries to copy her technique to the finest detail, but misses! “Sorry but trying to mimic isn’t gonna help you sometime soon!” Renae gloats and carelessly throws another ring towards the totem pole and hooks around it. Ross tries again and the ring just bounces right off the front of the totem pole. “Wow this is pathetic, trying to copy someone’s technique, a new low for you dude.” Lawson criticizes, and then receives a nasty glare from Ross. CONF: “I hope someone else busts up that other leg of his.” Ross states and then leaves the confessional. Renae tosses her fourth ring, and it comes up short from the pole. Ross throws his second one and lands it wrapped around the totem pole. Chris announces the new score, 3-2, a single drop of sweat meanders down from Renae’s brow and she wipes it away as the sun starts to glare down on them. After another ten minutes has passed by, the score is now level at three rings to three rings. Both of the competitors seem exhausted and bored. “Come on guys, we haven’t got all day.” Dawson remarks, and lifts his arms, trying to alarm them to hurry up their pace. “Calm down, you’re not the one with your life on the line here. Get lost.” Renae replies. “Dayum dat sass tho<3” Chantae responds with a classical snap of the fingers. Renae tosses another ring and lands it perfectly around the neck of the totem pole. Ross again fails with the toss with the ring just flying off into the distance. “Wow.” “One more ring until Renae can move on to figuring out the puzzle, the score stands at 4-3.” He announces, and Tylah shrugs unhappily to herself. Renae tosses her last ring just as Ross does his fourth, they both move in slow motion and they toss their rings, they glide through the air for Ross’ to bounce off, and Renae’s to hit on target. “Yeah baby!” Renae shouts in a triumphant mood. Then Chris reminds her that the challenge isn’t over yet and she runs over to the totem pole to try and solve the anagram. “LAVIVRUS, what could that mean?” She ponders, confused. “…It is so simple, this is the reason you are meant to be out…” Tylah states and Renae pays no attention to her. “Does my face look bothered?” Renae rebels, glaring at Tylah from the arena. “Yes.” She replies sharply, and Renae mutters something under her breath, by the time their quarrel is finished, Ross has caught up to Renae and are both figuring out the anagram. Both of them concentrate as the hot summer sun shoots down from the sky, Ross wipes a drop of sweat from his forehead and starts staring at the engraved letters even closer. While Renae steps back and looks at the puzzle from a distant glance. And thinks to herself; Hey wait a second, if you rearrange the letters from back to front you get; “SURVIVAL!!” She cheers and Chris blows a horn, “And Renae has it! She stays alive on Redemption Island! That means, Ross, you are in last place, 14th place to be exact. You may know leave the Rivals Arena. Farewell, dork.” Chris announces and chuckles under his breath. Ross waddles away slowly with a single tear in his eye, he turns back and sees Renae cheering and boasting in the glory of winning the first ever duel. “So does that mean I am back in the game?” Renae asks with a gleaming smile. “No, you wait until the next contestant is eliminated and have a duel against them.” Chris states, “And that will continue until an undisclosed episode where the winner of a certain duel will rejoin the game indefinitely.” He clarifies, and Renae nods in satisfaction. He is leaded to the dock, where Chef is ready with the loser contraption, Ross takes a step on the red X on the dock. “Do what you want.” He states and slaps his knee in a cheesy joke clap. A cricket chirp follows and Chef presses the button, The Punch of Misfortune sends him flying in the sky, further than before, and the only thing that can be heard is a girlish scream coming from him. The following morning, Chris stands outside the cabins, with a devious smirk. He picks up a megaphone and snickers to himself. He flips the switch on it. “CAMPERS, REPORT TO THE MESS HALL!” He announces in a hastily fashion. Moments later, everyone arrives at the mess hall. “You may be wondering why I called you all here urgently, and that is because I like to mess with your heads. It’s time for today’s challenge. This week you will compete in many one on one duels, based on sports! Let’s see uh… Oliver vs. Miss Universe in the wonderful sport of Goodminton!” Chris announces. “Goodminton?” Oliver asks. “It’s badminton…” Chantae replies. “Uh okay…” He replies, confused. Chris directs everyone to an abandoned gym on the right side of the island. They all arrive their and the building is completely covered in weeds and moss. Chris grabs a key from his pocket and unlocks the padlock on the front door. “Since when did this exist?” Tylah asks “This building has been here for nearly 5 years, but no one has ever come across it.” Chris replies, and he opens the door to the gymnasium. Inside there is a tennis court, a badminton court, a pool table, a table tennis table, and various other sports equipment. “Now let’s get the first match underway. The first person to get 5 points wins the duel.” Around 10 minutes later, at the start of the match between Oliver and Miss Universe. “You’re going down pipsqueak!” Miss banters. “If you think you’re going to beat me you must be mistaken!” He replies Miss throws the shuttle in the air, and taps it over the net. Oliver stretches and manages to hit it back over to her side of the court.